Film industry encouraged to support tree fund

Film Event Management South Africa has called on the industry to support its Film Goes Green campaign – an initiative to encourage the South African filmmaking community to lessen the

Film industry encouraged to support tree fund

industry’s carbon footprint and promote greener production.

In a bid to make South Africa’s film industry the world’s most eco-friendly film industry, Film Event Management South Africa has established The Film Goes Green Tree Fund to encourage filmmakers to offset the environmental cost of filming.

Aimed at directly benefiting the environment, the project will allow filmmakers to calculate in trees (as opposed to Rands and Cents) the carbon footprint of running film shoots and their offices and contribute a set number of trees (at R70 per tree) to offset this “expense”. To this end, a ‘carbon calculator’ is now available at www.filmevent.co.za which allows members of the industry to calculate their carbon footprints. In addition, filmmakers are encouraged to involve their clients in the programme and to encourage them to share the costs.

The tree fund is managed by Film Event Management South Africa, and the trees will be planted by Food & Trees for Africa. Food & Trees for Africa is the first and only national, public benefit, civil society greening and food gardening organisation in South Africa that addresses climate change. According to the organisation over 2.6 million trees have been distributed through their programmes to schools, clinics, old age homes, hospices, police stations, streets and parks.

In addition to offsetting carbon emissions, trees provide many benefits such as improving air quality, providing shade, food, a habitat for wildlife and improved biodiversity, less noise pollution and dust as well as greener suburbs which contribute to civic pride.

For more information please contact Film Goes Green founder Kathy English – Brower on 021 448 9544 or email Kathy@filmevent.co.za